Understanding The Black Maternal and Infant Mortality Crisis and Exploring Ways Registered Dietitians Can Lean In

This product is free for PHCN DPG members.

This webinar was presented live on July 24, 2024.

The black maternal and infant mortality crisis is a growing public health concern. Understanding the barriers black mothers and their infants face will better help healthcare practitioners lean in to offer strategies and create a safe place and opportunities for black mothers and their infants to thrive. Registered Dietitians have an important role to play and can help improve the life expectancy for both mother and baby. Nutrition plays a vital part in the fertility, pregnancy and post-partum process in keeping expectant mothers healthy and well, so lifesaving nutrients can be transferred in utero and upon deliver to the infant. Breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are the lowest among black mothers this is coupled with many other factors such as education and access to support and supplies which may further compound the premature mortality of black infants. However, registered dietitians can stand in the gap, in many instances. This presentation will provide background into the black maternal and infant mortality crises and will explore how registered dietitians can stand in the gap to improve access to care and provide equitable nutrition education and nutrition therapy to mothers and their infants.

CPE Level: 2
CPEU: 1.0 (valid until July 24, 2027)

Performance Indicators:

• 2.3.2 Applies knowledge of health determinants when planning, developing, and implementing services, programs, interventions, meal plans and menus.
• 4.2.1 Advocates for and influences local, federal and global nutrition and health policy to promote health and well-being of individuals, communities and populations.
• 4.3.2 Collaborates with intra- and inter-profession team members to ensure client access to services.

Learning Objectives

• Understand what the black maternal health and infant mortality crisis is.
• Identify the factors that play a role in the black maternal and infant mortality crisis.
• List strategies that registered dietitians can use to improve the health of mother and baby.

Speaker

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, MS, RDN, CDCES, LDN, NASM-WFS CPT

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes is a nationally recognized food and nutrition expert, leading global expert in Gestational Diabetes, mother, wife, author, health writer, recipe developer, health speaker, diabetes and fitness expert, and holistic plant-based women’s health registered dietitian of over 15 years. She has been featured in various professional and popular media outlets such as PubMed, Harvard Health Publishing, News Flash, Forbes Health, Wallstreet Journal, CNBC, WebMD, Readers Digest, Prevention, Huffington Post and more. She actively works with various community organizations, locally (Boston University, Boston Public Health, Boston Public Library, etc.) and nationally (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Diabetes Association, American Kidney Fund, etc.) in the areas of public health, nutrition, health equity and women's health. She is the National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, founder of 360Girls&Women- a holistic health and wellness company for girls and women and co-founder of cultured health– a global digital healthcare app that connects dietitians to clients based on culture.